European citizens should be both vigilant and engaged, the Civil Society Days 2019 heard. The event, organised by the EESC's Liaison Group at the EESC on 12 and 13 June 2019, focused on Sustainable Democracy in Europe.

EESC president Luca Jahier said in his opening speech: "We need to address the climate crisis, the impact of which we are already feeling. We need to address the social crisis and contain inequality. Finally, we need to uphold our values and defend our multi-cultural, open democracy. Therefore, it is important to involve young people in what they are passionate and serious about, to drive a constructive revolution towards a new way of living." 

Conny Reuter, co-chair of the Liaison Group, said that it was the responsibility of all democratic forces, including civil society, to strengthen civil and social dialogue.

Michael O'Flaherty, director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, described the EU as the most human rights-protected zone on earth, but saw five main challenges to be tackled as priorities:

• building an equal society in Europe;
• building a society that repudiates hate;
• building a society that celebrates diversity;
• building a society that respects the rule of law;  
• building a society that works on the basis of partnership.

Concluding the event, Jeremy Wates, secretary general of the European Environmental Bureau, saw corruption and fake news as additional threats to Europe's democracy.

Proposals for a more sustainable democracy in Europe were developed by six working groups and are now available on the CivSocDays event webpage.

The take away from this two-day event was that sustainability needs to become the guiding force of the new Commission. (sma)